


loving you is harder alone (we'd make a great team)

by heavenlyrare



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 3 + 1, Alternate Universe - High School, Based on a song, Explicit Language, Heith mention, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 13:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16787845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavenlyrare/pseuds/heavenlyrare
Summary: Confessing to the person you like takes guts. Major guts. Guts that Lance just doesn’t seem to have. So he rehearses with a partner. Only.... the “partner” happens to be his actual crush. Just how many “practice” confessions can they get through before Shiro finds out the truth?- OR -3 times Lance "fake" confesses and the 1 time he really confesses.





	loving you is harder alone (we'd make a great team)

**Author's Note:**

> IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE POSTED A SHANCE FIC!!!!
> 
> This has been just sitting in my drive, and I'm so happy to finally share it with you all~!! I'm thankful for the Shance AU Bang for motivating me to write this, and I hope you all enjoy it! As well as the other works this bang displays!! It was a lot of fun uwu

“Hunk,” Lance sighed, sprawled on Hunk’s carpeted floor. “How did you and Keith get together?”

“Is this about Shiro again?” Hunk responded from his bed, not looking up from the scattered papers and opened textbook in front of him.

Lance’s bottom lip jutted out in a pout. “...Maybe.” Oh, _who_ was he kidding? When was it _never_ about Shiro? Lance has talked Hunk’s ears off about him since their second year and has had him in his mind since their first. It’s their _third year_ of high school now, and Shiro was still a constant thought in his head and name on his tongue. He felt like his entire existence boiled down to _Shiro, crush, Shiro, love, ShiroShiroShiro._ Lance groaned dramatically, throwing an arm over his blushing face.

“We confessed, like normal people, and then started dating, like normal people,” Hunk drawled, half of his attention on his homework—something Lance should _also_ be doing. “Hey, didn’t you come over to _study_ together?”

“But confessing is so _hard!_ ” Lance complained, ignoring Hunk’s attempt to change the subject. He heard a soft muttering, yet barreled on. “I feel like I’d say some stupid pick up line, like ‘Hey, are you lost? ‘Cause Heaven’s a long way from here.’,” he whined, embarrassed at just the thought of it.

“Pick up lines _are_ kind of your thing.”

“Yeah, but none of it is _serious!_ ” Lance exclaimed, frantically sitting up. _“This is serious, Hunk!_ I want Shiro to know I _actually_ like him.”

“Then _confess,_ ” Hunk grumbled, feeling like they were going in circles. “You don’t have to do it face to face. You can write him a note and leave a flower, or something. I’m sure your feelings will still come across.”

“...That feels too impersonal,” Lance sulked.

Hunk sighed deeply. “Then suck it up and tell him. Do it after school in some secluded area. You’ve seen enough shoujo animes,” he offered, albeit a bit miffed.

Lance’s jaw hung in shock. Even if it _was_ true, Hunk didn’t need to bring up his secret preferences! Crossing his arms with a huff, he settled with a shoujo-like confession. It wasn’t impersonal, and he’d get Shiro’s answer right away. Alternatively, he could always run away as soon as he confesses, but the uncertainty might eat away at him, making him incapable of basic life functions.

With his mind set, he finally got started on the homework he was suppose to be doing all along. It was hard to focus as his mind constantly drifted, conjuring up different ways to confess and different scenarios. He got it done eventually, finishing around the same time as Hunk. For the rest of their time, Hunk indulged Lance in coming up with a good confession, writing up a short speech and rehearsing it a few times until he felt confident enough.

Tomorrow, these feelings would finally be off of his chest for Shiro to either accept or reject. His body trembled at the prospect.

* * *

**_[ confession i ]_ **

Lance bounced nervously, feeling his body tingle in anticipation. He watched from the side of the school building as students filed out of the front doors, chatting with their friends or bidding them goodbye. Earlier, he managed to slip a note to Shiro before bolting, face ablaze and heart thumping against his chest. It asked him to meet Lance where he was currently standing, informing him that Lance had something urgent to tell him. Whether he was actually going to show up or not is what made Lance nervous. Well, that and the _urgent_ thing he needed to tell him.

The flood of students has thinned out considerably, and yet Lance was still by himself. Did he miss Shiro? Maybe the Senior forgot? Or got caught up in something else? Lance sighed, adjusting the straps around his shoulders out of comfort more than a necessity. He resigned himself to start his trek back home, reassuring that there was always tomorrow. _But will I still be able to do it? I’ve got a whole day to talk myself out of it,_ he thought grimly. Just as he was making his way down the steps that led to the entrance, he heard his name.

“Lance!” Shiro called, bursting from the double doors and halting at the top of the steps, breathing labored like he ran. “Sorry for making you wait. I had to talk to a teacher and it took a bit longer than I expected,” he explained, shooting Lance an apologetic smile.

Lance’s grip tightened on his straps. “T-That’s fine. School’s really important, so I don’t mind you putting it first,” he rambled.

“You had something to tell me?” Shiro asked, descending down the steps until he was on the step above Lance, like he wasn’t already tall enough.

Lance swallowed, steeling himself. “Uh, ye-yeah! I did, right—the _urgent_ thing, um—” The sound of the door being pushed open interrupted him, and he watched as a student jogged their way down the stairs, oblivious to the two of them. He was reminded that they _were_ in front of the school where anyone could see—not like anyone would care, but the thought caused Lance’s palms to sweat. “Let’s go somewhere… more private,” he suggested. Shiro responded with a hum and followed him as he returned back to the side of the building. Hidden from Shiro’s eyes, Lance allowed his face contort into one of distress. He was going to do it. Right here, right now, shoujo anime-style. Just like Hunk suggested.

He felt like he was going to throw up.

Stopping suddenly, Lance took a deep breath before facing Shiro, who leaned against the brick wall—the epitome of calm and collected. Lance could only wish he felt the same. Or that Shiro shared his anxiousness. He just didn’t like being alone in his emotions.

With a shaky voice, Lance began, “T-Thing is, uh, I’ve had this crush since freshman year. I know, pretty stubborn, right?” He chuckled brokenly. “Anyway, um, yeah, I’ve liked you for a long time. And I’m sure this isn’t the first confession you’ve gotten, but it took a lot for me to stand here and say this.” Lance’s gaze dropped to the ground, unable to stomach how Shiro would react to his next words. “It’s fine if you don’t feel the same way. I mean, yeah, it’ll, uh, hurt, but I’ll get over it.” He half-shrugged. _I’m not going to get over it._ “B-But if you _do_ , that’d be super great, too.”

What a lame ending.

There was silence. A suffocating silence that made Lance fidget and chance a look at Shiro’s face. Shiro’s blank face except his furrowed eyebrows.

Lance felt his heart lodge itself in his throat.

He screwed up. _He definitely screwed up._ He should’ve kept his mouth shut and settled with whining to Hunk for the rest of high school. But _no._ He had to listen to Hunk and take a nosedive off the cliff, only to meet his death. Shiro wasn’t there to catch him. In fact, he was _nowhere near_ him because Shiro didn’t feel the same way in the slightest! Lance bit back the urge to cry. He had to save what little bit of dignity he had left.

Shiro pushed himself off the brick wall and squared his shoulders. His mouth opened, no doubt rejection on the tip of his tongue.

Lance couldn’t take it. No matter what bullshit he spouted before _he really couldn’t handle it_. Not now, not later, not weeks into the future. So, before Shiro could crush his heart in the nicest way possible, i.e “let him down easy”, he saved himself from the oncoming heartache and ugly sobbing that accompanied it.

“Just kidding!” He exclaimed a little louder than necessary, startling Shiro and even himself. He forced a smile on his face. “How was it? Was that believable? Did your heart skip a beat?” He rambled, laughing awkwardly.

Shiro smiled weakly. “Yeah, you… you really got me.” There was a pause. “Was this just a... joke?”

“No!” Lance retorted quickly. He didn’t want Shiro to think _that_. “It… was practice. Yeah, a practice confession. I figured I’d need a partner.”

“And you chose me because…?”

“W-Well, Hunk got sick of hearing about my feelings, so he’s resigned. You are now my official confidant. I’d feel honored if I was you,” he boasted, trying to mask his true feelings.

“I don’t think I’m the best choice, but I’ll do anything to help a friend.” Lance’s chest hurt at the word. “I’ll be your partner for as long as you need,” Shiro reassured. “Whoever you’re confessing to is really lucky. To have someone like them so much, I’m kind of jealous,” he confessed. “I’m gonna head home now, but let me know if you ever need me.”

Lance watched as Shiro left him at the side of the building. He kept his gaze on him until he disappeared from sight. With him out of hearing range, Lance inhaled deeply, threw his head back, and screamed.

**_“FUCK!”_ **

* * *

Lance screwed up. He screwed up _bad._ Royally so. Nothing in the world could accurately describe how he was feeling. Except, maybe, Hunk who was currently sputtering and making soft, high-pitched, dying animal noises as he tried to find words to form a coherent sentence—a close representation of Lance internally.

“So you _confessed_ , but then ruined it by calling it a joke?!”

“I panicked, okay?!” Lance cried, throwing his hands in the air. “You would, too, if you were in my shoes! He wasn’t reacting at all! I could feel the rejection in the air.”

“Well, now what are you going to do? I don’t think he’s going to believe another confession if you tried,” Hunk commented.

“You see, I… _might’ve_ told him… I was practicing to tell someone else and would appreciate his help,” Lance confessed, avoiding Hunk’s steady gaze.

“You lied to him _twice_ —”

“—But this way I can get used to confessing to him and test out different ways!” Lance exclaimed, trying to show Hunk the brighter side of the situation. Using the person you liked as a guinea pig for themselves _was_ pretty confusing and slightly dumb, but it was too late to have regrets. Lance was going to ride this plan until the wheels fell off. Or for as long as Shiro would put up with him.

“When I brought up shoujo animes, I didn’t expect your love life to suddenly _become_ one,” Hunk joked, somewhat. “I’m guessing I’ll be helping you confess in different ways?” Lance nodded, and Hunk sighed softly. “Alright, but none of this is going to be pretty if it backfires.”

“But you’ll be there to clean up the aftermath, won’t you?”

Hunk smiled. “Always.”

Lance returned Hunk’s smile before quickly switching topics, eagerly rambling and tripping over the many ways he could confess the second time around. Hunk suggested a note once more, but Lance waved him off. He _did_ take him up on his offer of a small bouquet of flowers. He immediately pushed aside the common idea of roses, wanting to go with something unique. He could sense that Hunk wanted to tell him that roses would get his meaning across, but there were _plenty_ of other romantic flowers out there. After a bit of research, they decided on a bouquet of gardenia, accompanied with a small note since it came with it.

Lance ignored Hunk’s smug aura.

The bouquet would be given to Shiro from the school’s office, where it’d be delivered. Lance could only hope that he’d like it, even if he believed it wasn’t for him.

* * *

**_[ confession ii ]_ **

Mr. Smythe’s AP European History class was chattering loudly in their self-assigned groups, discussing and answering the question that he had given them earlier. He was settled at his desk located in the back, grading the tests they took yesterday, when the ringing of the class phone cut through the noise. Rolling his chair back, he got to his feet. As he made his way to the phone, a hush fell upon the class until they were eerily silent. He smiled softly as he answered the call.

“Hello, this is Mr. Smythe.”

The conversation continued with little hums of response from Mr. Smythe every now and then.

“Yes, yes. He’s here with me. Would you like me to send him down to get it?” A pause. “Alright, I’ll tell him the news. Thank you.”

Mr. Smythe hung up the phone and made his way back to his desk before making an announcement; the class stayed silent the entire time. “Mr. Shirogane, you’ve been called down to the office. Apparently, someone sent a gift for you,” he stated, smiling brightly at one of his best students.

Shiro stood up from his desk, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. His birthday wasn’t anywhere close, and today wasn’t a holiday of sorts. Not even the really weird kind that seemed to fall on every single day of every month. So why was he getting a gift all of a sudden? “Did they say what it was, Mr. Smythe?”

“They did, my boy, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise for you!”

“Maybe it’s a secret admirer,” his classmate and friend, Matt, teased. His words planted a seed in Shiro’s mind that grew and took the form of Lance confessing to him yesterday. _Practice confessing,_ he reminded himself a bit sourly. It wasn’t far-fetched to think that this “gift” was coming from the Junior as another practice confession.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Shiro disagreed, probably coming off as humble and in denial when he was really just telling the truth. Before anyone could respond, he was out of the classroom, gently closing the door behind him. It muffled the cacophony of students that started back up and got quieter and quieter as he walked away. He kept his mind blank as he strode through the hall, despite how much he wanted to mull over Lance and whatever he got him. Was it a teddy bear? Balloons? A boxes of choco—

He’s not supposed to be thinking about it! He needed to stay as detached as possible from all of this. It’d make things easier on both him and Lance. Shiro didn’t want to bring him down, too, with his unrequited feelings. They were Shiro’s to deal with.

Shaking his head to dispel the thoughts, Shiro finally arrived at the front office. He turned the knob and pushed the door open, greeted with the site of middle-aged women busying themselves behind the counter. Shiro wouldn’t be surprised if a few of them graduated from Arus Academy or had relatives currently attending. They were a small town, after all.

“You must be Takashi Shirogane?” A women paused in her shuffling of papers to ask, training her gaze on Shiro over her lowered glasses.

Shiro smiled politely at the mispronunciation, nodding all the same. “Yes, ma’am, that’s me.”

“Well, aren’t you a handsome fella. No wonder someone dropped off this gift,” another woman playfully teased, placing a large bouquet of white flowers in front of Shiro. “You’ve got yourself a dedicated admirer, Mr. Shirogane. They really fancy you,” she continued to praise, smiling brightly.

Shiro could only nod, mouth suddenly dry with shock. He slowly turned the bouquet in a circle, admiring it from all angles. A flash of red caught his attention—a note tied to one of the stems. He reached for it and read silently. The front told the flower’s meaning: secret love. Shiro felt his heart speed up, despite his earlier speech about being “detached as possible”. He braced himself as he flipped the note to read the back. He was greeted with the words _“I couldn’t hide it anymore. I guess three years was my limit.”_ in Lance’s familiar scrawl, followed by a simple _“L”_ . Shiro blanched. _Three years?!_ Lance has harbored these feelings for that long? Shiro tried to imagine how it was for Lance, to like the same person for three years straight. He was sure that the feelings only grew and grew and grew—like a balloon being pumped with air. Suddenly, the flowers felt like nothing more than a nice, simple gesture. He felt like something _grander_ or more personal would work for a three year old confession. Something that portrayed Lance’s feelings accurately.

Taking the bouquet in his hold, Shiro bid the office ladies farewell and returned to his classroom. He dreaded the inevitable teasing he’d receive once he got back inside, but he tried his best not to think about it. Instead, he let his mind wander to when he could meet up with Lance later. Since he was his practice confession partner, Shiro felt it was only right to give Lance whatever feedback he could provide. He wanted Lance’s final confession to be the best for whoever it was.

Even if his chest tightened at the thought.

* * *

Shiro was able to track down Lance when lunch rolled around, spotting him sitting across from his friend—Hunk, if he remembered correctly. They were sitting a few seats apart from another group at the table, silently putting a barrier between them. Shiro strode his way to their table, bypassing his own with a backwards glance as he heard his name. He waved the call off, sliding into the seat next to Hunk. His sudden appearance caused both boys to startle, bodies tensed before relaxing as they recognized him. Well—

Hunk relaxed.

“Oh, right, I gotta see my English teacher to finish some work,” Hunk announced casually, gripping his paper tray. As he got to his feet, he said, “Sorry for leaving so suddenly, Shiro. Take care of Lance?”

Shiro smiled at his words, watching him dump his tray into a nearby trash can. He was oblivious to the wide-eyed, fearful stare Lance was giving Hunk behind his back, but managed to catch the wink Hunk threw behind him. Furrowing his eyebrows, Shiro withdrew his gaze from Hunk, focusing on Lance instead, who seemed even more tense now that Hunk was gone.

Shiro resisted the urge to frown.

Maybe he was imagining it?

“Those flowers were really nice,” he complimented, hoping to ease his way into the feedback he planned to give. And maybe get Lance to relax.

“Really?” Lance asked excitedly, eyes shining and cheeks pink. “You liked them?”

Shiro nodded. “I’m sure they’d be a great way to confess. Especially because they weren’t cliché, like roses.”

“But did _you_ like them?” Lance repeated, voice a bit more demanding, taking Shiro by surprise.

What did it matter what he thought? He wasn’t the one Lance was going to confess to in the end. And he was ready to tell Lance as such, but he found himself speechless as he stared into blue, unblinking eyes. Shiro noticed the way Lance leaned forward slightly, anticipating his next words.

He cleared his throat before speaking. “I’m not much of a flower guy… Never been good at taking care of them,” he confessed. “If _I_ were to get anything, I’d prefer something like chocolate. But that’s _if_ you were confessing to me, which you aren’t,” he stated firmly, continuously reminding himself of the line he set. “You should do homemade chocolates, though. Pour all three years worth of your love into it.”

Lance flushed red at the suggestion. He knew he shouldn’t have wrote that! He should’ve stuck with some cheesy pick up line. He kicked himself internally.

“Three years is a long time,” Shiro drawled, observing Lance. “Did you ever think of moving on?”

It took Lance a few moments to gather enough wits and composure to respond, nodding hesitantly. “But any time I tried, something would happen and I’d fall in love all over again, like it was the first day.” Silence lapsed between them as Lance’s words sunk in.

Shiro whistled softly. “They must be pretty amazing,” he commented, heartbeat spiking in speed as Lance’s expression softened into something that was a little too intimate for a crush, lips curling in a gentle smile.

“Yeah. They are,” he agreed.

And Shiro had to avert his gaze, feeling his body warm and tingle, which was wrong because that _look_ wasn’t for _him._

He could only hope whoever it _was_ for knew how lucky they were.

* * *

“Hunk, buddy, my man,” Lance rattled off as he caught Hunk before he could exit through the double doors. Lance fell instep beside him, having to shove his way between his best friend and some other student. The student gave him a vexed look, but he ignored it. Despite the twang of guilt in his chest, he was certain they’d get over it soon enough and barreled on, all attention on Hunk. “You gotta help me bake.”

Hunk raised an eyebrow. “Bake? Today?”

Lance nodded eagerly as they exited the school, descending down the steps. “Yeah. Chocolates.”

“...Chocolates,” Hunk repeated slowly. “Can we do brownies instead?”

Lance stared at Hunk thoughtfully. He didn’t see why not. Brownies were chocolate, in the end. And Lance knew that Hunk could make the _best_ batch of brownies, so Shiro would definitely love them. Plus, it was unique—something Lance believed was a key component in these “practice” confessions. He wanted to constantly amaze Shiro under the guise that it was for someone else.

“Brownies should work,” Lance reassured as they left school grounds, turning the corner and making the familiar trek home.

“Do you know what he likes?” Hunk asked. He elaborated after a moment of silence. “You know, like caramel sauce or nuts or chocolate chips.”

Lance smiled sheepishly.

“...Alright, so we’re playing it safe,” Hunk stated, shaking his head good-naturedly. “I’m sure he’ll still like it, either way. People don’t always get brownies during a confession, you know.” There was a pause. “Just giving him brownies would be kind of weird, though.”

“You’re right. Boxes of chocolates always have notes with them.” Lance frowned. “But I’m not writing a note again!”

Hunk looked at him curiously. “Why? What happened?”

Lance crossed his arms, cheeks growing dark with color as he remembered his conversation with Shiro earlier. He flip-flopped between confiding in Hunk like always, or keeping his embarrassment to himself. But it seemed that Hunk wasn’t having the latter as he began to poke and prod, pressing the subject.

“Was it something bad? Did he not like it? Did you write a really embarrassing pick up line? _Lance_ , I thought you weren’t going to _use_ pick up lines,” Hunk rattled, never pausing long enough for Lance to respond.

“I _wished_ I used a pick up line,” Lance muttered underneath Hunk’s rambling, wincing when it came to abrupt stop. Shit. Hunk heard him.

“Oh, you’ve gotta tell me now!” Hunk exclaimed, oddly excited. “Was it worse than a pick up line?”

Lance let his head hang, so his words were hard to make out as he confessed, “I might’ve mentioned… how long I’ve had this crush.”

“You… what?” Hunk asked, genuinely confused as he found himself leaning closer to hear Lance, not expecting the sudden assault on his ear.

 _“I told him I’ve liked him for three years!”_ Lance exclaimed, blush spreading to the tip of his ears, grateful that the sidewalk was mostly empty around them.

“You told him?!” Hunk responded, ignoring the slight ringing he felt.

“Well, not _directly._ But it was in the note,” Lance corrected.

A hand pressed to Hunk’s chest. “Don’t scare me like that.” He ignored Lance’s eye roll. “I’m _definitely_ helping you with notes from now on, but you can just… talk to him this time.”

Lance swallowed at the suggestion. He hadn’t confessed in person since The Confession—the one that started this entire mess. But it would be better this time. He’d be able to confess freely without fear of rejection because Shiro didn’t know it was for him! But something about not getting a serious response hurt almost just as much as getting denied. Like his feelings weren’t real.

He guessed that’s what he got for writing it off as a joke in the first place.

For being a coward.

* * *

**_[ confession iii ]_ **

Lance thanked his lucky stars that he knew of Shiro’s schedule.

“Shiro!” He called as he slipped into Shiro’s second period, checking the time after searching for the clock. He had a bit of time to spare. It helped that his own second period wasn’t a stickler for the rules. Tearing his gaze away from the wall, he strode towards Shiro’s desk, stopping in front of it. Thankfully, Shiro was the only one in class. Lance didn’t needed the added pressure of an extra set of eyes on him. He was nervous enough as it was.

“Lance,” Shiro greeted, staring at him curiously.

“I, uh, took your suggestion. So…,” Lance trailed off, unsure of how to continue. Biting his bottom lip, he grabbed the red box wrapped in a white bow on top of his books and binders, presenting it to Shiro with slightly shaking hands. When Shiro took it, he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding before clearing his throat, cheeks pink. “They’re not _exactly_ chocolates since brownies were easy to make. Um, there’s no nuts or anything ‘cause I didn’t know what you’d like, but I hope they’re still good? I poured three years worth of love into it just like you said,” he joked, smiling nervously.

Shiro was silent, staring at the small pieces of brownies inside the box, resembling a box of chocolates. He didn’t know what to say.

“Shiro?”

“....You made them for me?” Shiro asked, voice low.

Lance was quick to correct him. “I did, but it serves as practice, too. I gotta make sure that the brownies aren’t nasty, you know? Even though _I_ think they taste good, I’m not sure what others would think. Don’t wanna give something disgusting to my crush as a confession,” he rambled.

Shiro smiled ruefully. “Right, right. You told me you wanted to give the perfect confession after all, ” he commented, remembering the moment it all started. Plucking a brownie out of its space, he bit into it, letting the flavors and softness overwhelm his taste buds. Even without any added ingredients, the brownie was delicious. Shiro could tell that Lance worked hard on it, and, despite how ridiculous it sounded, he swore he could taste the love baked into it as well.

“Is it good?” Lance asked after he swallowed. Shiro finishing the rest of the brownie quickly was answer enough. “I guess I did alright.”

“You did _more_ than alright, Lance. These brownies are really good,” Shiro complimented as he grabbed another one. If he wasn’t careful, he’d finish them off before second period ended. _I should save some for later,_ he thought, despite polishing off the one in his hand and eyeing another. “You know, the way to some people’s hearts is through their stomachs,” he commented.

“Is that the same for you?” Lance asked in, what he hoped was, a casual manner.

Shiro shrugged a shoulder. “It depends on the food. I can be picky.”

Lance opened his mouth to respond, but the shrill ringing of the school bell cut him off. “Ah, I should get to class,” he mumbled. “I’ll see you later, Shiro! And thanks again for eating the brownies.”

Shiro waved him off with a half-eaten brownie. “This is what I signed up for when I agreed to help.”

“Right. Help,” Lance repeated. “Yeah, you’ve… you’ve been a huge help.”

“I’m glad to hear. If your actual confession is anything like the practice, you’ll win them over for sure,” Shiro reassured, closing the box of brownies and saving the remaining ones.

Lance swallowed the bubbling truth travelling up his throat. The feeling was akin to vomit—persistent, made Lance’s stomach turn, and probably wouldn’t stop once it started. But now wasn’t the time or place for that. He had to get to class.

“Let’s hope you’re right.” He left with those words, jogging out of the classroom and towards his own, the truth still nagging at him.

Maybe it was time to finally tell it.

* * *

The walk home was unusually silent and lonely.

Hunk had gotten checked out earlier for a doctor’s appointment, missing the rest of the school day. Even though he had mentioned it in the morning, it slipped Lance’s mind with Shiro, the brownies, and the constant urge to end his “practice” confessions. So he was a bit put off when Hunk wasn’t anywhere near the front entrance to meet him.

That didn’t mean Lance couldn’t call him, though.

 **“Hello,”** Hunk’s voice crackled to life.

“Hunk, I think I’m gonna tell him,” Lance blurted, no preamble, no warning.

**“...Oh, hi to you, too, Hunk!”**

Lance’s face scrunched up at the terrible impression of him. “First, I don’t sound like that at all—”

 **“You** **_kind_ ** **of do.”**

“ _And second_ ,” Lance hissed, ignoring Hunk’s comment. “This is serious!” He sighed loudly. “I really think it’s time to tell him.”

There was silence as Lance crossed the street, turning left when he reached the other side. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he passed by the familiar apartment buildings, yet still didn’t hear a response from Hunk. It wasn’t like he hung up, though. Lance could still hear his faint breathing. So why wasn’t he saying anything? Did Hunk even _hear_ him?

As Lance came upon their neighborhood, he spoke up. “Hunk, did you hear him?”

 **“Yeah, I did,”** Hunk replied.

Lance blinked. “ _Well?_ ”

Hunk sighed. **“Well what, Lance? What do you want me to say?”**

“Anything is better than nothing!” _Reassure me. Deny me. Encourage me to tell him, or stop me right now. Be the anchor that you always are._

 **“In the end, it’s not my decision, you know,”** Hunk began. **“So I can’t tell you what’s the right thing and the wrong thing, if that’s what you’re looking for. But I can tell you that these “practice confessions” might end up hurting someone in the end. And you’re probably thinking it’s you, but it may be Shiro. Worse, it’s both of you.”**

Lance swallowed silently, nearing his house. He kept quiet as he made his way to the front door, fishing out his keys from the side pocket of his bookbag.

 **“Whatever you decide, just make sure to think about both Shiro’s and your feelings, okay? And** **_really_ ** **think it through!”** A distant voice could be heard in the background. Probably Hunk’s mom. **“Gotta go help with dinner. See you tomorrow!”** There was an abrupt _beep,_ signaling the end of the call.

Lance worked his key into the lock and turned, pushing the door open after the _click_ . The moment he stepped into the house he was greeted by a chorus of _“Welcome home!”_. Smiling softly, he removed his key and closed the door, locking it.

“How was your day?” His mother asked as he walked further into the house, seeing her in the living room.

 _Maybe Dad’s cooking tonight?_ “It was okay. Nothing special happened.”

“Your siblings are coming down for the weekend, so Dad’s cooking up a feast,” his mother explained with a smile that reached her eyes. She loved it when her children visited. “It’ll take a while, so you can take a shower and do any homework.”

Lance took that as his cue to retreat to his room. Upon entering, he shouldered off his bookbag, letting it fall to the ground beside his bed. There were a lot of things he could be doing, but he pushed them all aside to focus on one thing—figuring out how to tell Shiro the truth. He wouldn’t be able to get anything else done as long as the thought plagued his mind. Worrying his bottom lip, Lance wished that he asked for Shiro’s phone number some time during all of this. With no other way to contact him, he resorted to writing a note. _Again_.

Remembering Hunk’s words the other day, he shot a quick text towards him.

_Wanna help me write a note?_

* * *

**_[ confession + i ]_ **

“Have a good weekend, Shiro!”

“You, too!”

Smiling softly, Shiro waved farewell to a few classmates before heading to his locker. It was Friday and the end of the school day. Shiro doesn’t think he’s ever been so relieved. The week was a hectic one, especially with helping Lance. He could positively admit that he’s never felt so drained mentally and emotionally. Not even during Exam Weeks! And everyone knows that he’s a crammer.

Popping his locker open, he reached in for his bookbag, stopping abruptly when his eyes wandered to the little shelf at the top. Catching a glimpse of a folded piece of paper, Shiro left his bag on the hook to reach for the note instead. It was a bit wrinkled, like whoever put it there was in a rush to leave. He was careful as he unfolded it, heartbeat seeming to speed up in intervals with every movement of his hands. His eyes flitted over the page as he read the words neatly printed on it.

_‘Today’s the day! Can you help with one last practice confession for good luck? I’ll be waiting at the side of the school, where this all started.’_

__\- L_ _

Shiro couldn’t help thinking it was a little cruel to ask him such a favor, but he had to remind himself that Lance wasn’t aware of how it affected him. And he shouldn’t be aware. As much as Shiro didn’t want to go, he promised to help Lance and spent majority of the week doing just that. Backing out now would be pointless. _Maybe I can just wish him luck instead,_ he thought as he refolded the note, slipping it into his back pocket. Dreadfully, he packed his bag and shouldered it on, closing his locker a little harder than necessary. After locking it back up, he made his way towards the entrance of the building.

Shiro cursed that the initial wave of students had gone. There wasn’t enough students left to mask him if he wanted to slip away unnoticed. Guilt made his chest tight at the thought of leaving Lance hanging, but the heartache that he’s been carrying all week only worsened at the prospect of Lance putting an end to their practices. Shiro happened to enjoy the gifts he got, despite his emotional woes.

Against his better judgement, Shiro made a turn at the entrance, walking along the side of it until he spotted Lance waiting, back pressed against the wall and eyes focused on something in the distance. He didn’t move at Shiro’s arrival, too deep in his own thoughts to notice. For a split second, Shiro felt his body twitch to turn around.

That’s when Lance looked at him.

“Shiro!” Lance greeted him with a timid smile, striking Shiro as strange. Maybe it was the nerves at finally confessing. “You came.”

“Yeah, uh.” Shiro swallowed. He had to say it now. Before they went any farther. “Yeah, I just wanted to wish you luck,” he said. “You’re gonna do great. You don’t need another practice,” he reassured, feeling proud of his steady voice.

Lance’s smile shrunk. “But... But this one is important.”

“...And the others weren’t?” Shiro asked before he could stop himself. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—I should go,” he mumbled.

“This one is important because this one is _real!”_ Lance rushed out in one breath as Shiro made a move to leave. Never taking his eyes off Shiro’s confused expression, he talked. “I mean, they were all real and important but I was scared and lied and said that they were just practices because I can’t handle rejection.”

Shiro gaped, mouth working open and closed as he tried to form a response. Or even squeak out some noise. _Anything_.

But Lance didn’t care or notice, and kept going, falling too fast to stop himself. “Yes, those brownies were definitely for you, and, yes, I have had this crush for three years and counting, and—” Lance inhaled deeply. “I’m ready for whatever happens now. I spent a whole week avoiding it—this, but… it is what it is.”

Shiro cleared his throat, lips taking on a soft smirk. “What happened to a “perfect” confession? I don’t get even one flower?” He joked, hoping to dispel some of the tension. Lance only looked at him expectantly. His attempt flew _way_ over his head.

Expression shifting into something more serious, Shiro said, “You know, none of this would’ve happened if you _let me answer_ the first time.”

Lance blushed. “You were taking so long!”

“That’s because I was in shock!” Shiro retorted. “You would be, too!”

Lance gestured widely, signalling Shiro to hurry up. “Okay! Fine! What’s your answer now then?”

Shiro thought about his inner turmoil for the last week. From the moment Lance put a big, red stamp titled _“JOKE”_ on this entire thing to the note he read earlier and everything in between. He thought about the lines he drew for himself to keep him unattached, thought about the times he’d feel jealous about Lance’s mysterious crush. He could laugh now, knowing that he was only jealous of himself.

 _“Shiro!”_ Lance snapped, sounding frustrated and desperate. A mix of fearful and hopeful.

“I still like you,” Shiro said simply. “I liked you during the first confession. And I liked you during the practices.”

“Oh,” Lance replied lamely, eyes a little dazed and face ablaze. “So your answer… never changed?”

Shiro shook his head. “And I don’t think it ever will. Not for a while at least.”

“Cool. Cool, cool, great—that’s, yeah, uh—”

Shiro stifled a laugh. “Wanna walk home together? Pretty sure your house is on the way to mine.”

Lance nodded eagerly. “Maybe you, um, you can start walking with me and Hunk before and after school,” he suggested as they fell instep beside each other, leaving the side of the school.

“If it’s alright with both of you. I don’t want to make Hunk feel like a third wheel,” Shiro said. “He’s your best friend. I’m just the new boyfriend.”

Lance’s breath hitched loud enough for Shiro to notice.

“We’re boyfriends now, aren’t we?” He asked, voice teasing, but there was an underlying worry.

“Yeah. Of course, right, we’re boyfriends now,” Lance agreed.

Shiro smiled at the response. As they came upon the stairs, he gently intertwined their fingers, clasping their hands together, receiving a shy squeeze. Smile growing, they continued their trek home.

After a few moments, Shiro said, “I’m still surprised you didn’t buy or make anything this time.”

“I’ll be sure to shower you in gifts on our anniversary.”

“Already thinking about marriage?” Shiro teased. “Am I gonna help you practice your proposal, too?”

Lance knocked his shoulder into him gently, barely throwing him off his footing. _“Shut up!”_ He hissed. “You’re never going to let me live this down.”

“It’ll be a good story to tell at reunions.”

Lance was quiet, heart fluttering at the thought of still being with Shiro at that time. A soft smile curled onto his face.

“Yeah, it really would.”


End file.
